Table of Contents
Foreword Daniel Negreanu 7
1 Please Help Me, Mom! 9
2 Every Rose has its Thorn, Part 1 11
3 Every Rose has its Thorn, Part 2 26
4 Where is that Poker Game? 35
5 Working in the Fields 40
6 Vegas; the First Time 46
7 Vegas Busts Me, Again and Again! 49
8 Home Poker Games IN Madison 53
9 Serious Progress and a New Resolve! 60
10 I Can See the Light! 66
11 My First Trophy! 71
12 The 1988 World Series of Poker 74
13 The 1988 Bicycle Club; My First Major! 82
14 Why Do I Act Like a Jerk Sometimes? 91
15 Big Ego Trip Leads to Cascading Fall 94
16 Choppy Waters Lead to a World Championship 108
17 The 1989 World Series of Poker 119
18 The Reigning World Champion Wins More 136
19 Hello to the Love of My Life 141
20 December 2,1989, Magical! Marriage Already? 154
21 Our Wedding and Honeymoon Cross Paths 158
22 It's a Boy! 162
23 Crushing the 1992 and 1993 WSOP 167
24 One More Son! 172
25 Bono Buys Our California House, and Televised Poker Begins! 193
26 Toughest Table Ever? Risking it all in 1997 199
27 Great Start in 1998, Bad Ending 204
28 Millionaire Gets Staked in 1999? 208
29 Hello Europe, Hello Hole Card Cameras 212
30 The Greatest Poker Player of All Time, Already? 217
31 Kathy Has Had Enough! 225
32 The 2002 WSOP, Chan vs. Hellmuth, and the Shaved Head 231
33 2003 WSOP: The Bracelet Race is on, and Forgiveness Pays! 235
34 A New York Times Best Seller! 239
35 2004-2005: Tournament of Champions; NBC Heads Up 245
36 President Bush, French Open and the 2006 WSOP, All in a Month 257
37 My Biggest Loss, Ever: Nightmare in Monte Carlo 265
38 Poker Hall of Fame; Magical WSOP Bracelet 11 268
39 12 Million Beer Cans; Deep Run 2008 WSOP 275
40 Hail, Caesar! Coaching Shulman 279
41 USO Tour and Black Friday 282
42 A Year of Seconds, An Amazing Gift! 286
43 Hello WSOP Numbers 12 and 13! 291
44 2013: NBC Heads-Up Success and WSOP Failure 302
45 WSOP Close Call and Phil has Health Issues? 306
46 We Lost Goldie: Phil Almost Leaves Kathy 309
47 The Question, and Founders, and my Partner Companies 316
48 Great Friendships and Masters of the Universe Poker Game 328
49 The Future, Love, and Goals, Goals, Goals 338
Appendix 1 UltimateBet.com, Start to Finish 342
Appendix 2 Poker Aces 353
Appendix 3 Charity Poker Tournaments: $40 Million Raised to Date! 357
Appendix 4 All My Cashes 360
Appendix 5 All My WSOP Final Tables 375
Index 379
